Temperature difference between the affected and unaffected limbs in complex regional pain syndrome.

Abstract

Background: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is classified into two subtypes based on clinical presentation: warm or cold.Methods: We examined the distribution of warm and cold subtypes in CRPS patients before they received lumbar sympathetic block. We retrospectively analyzed 81 prelumbar sympathetic block Forward Looking InfraRed images obtained from 30 patients to study temperature asymmetry between affected and unaffected limbs.Results: In 23 of the 30 patients (77%), the temperature difference between the affected and affected limbs was within the normal range (<0.6°C difference). Of the remaining seven cases, six (20%) were diagnosed with cold-CRPS and one (3%) with warm-CRPS. During subsequent interventions, 74% of the patients maintained a temperature difference within the normal range (<0.6°C difference).Conclusion: Retrospective analysis of Forward Looking InfraRed thermal camera images in CRPS patients showed that 77% of patients did not exhibit significant temperature asymmetry (<0.6°C difference) between affected and unaffected limbs.